Spanish and Indian runners join hands to cover 170kms

Anantapur International Relay Ultra Marathon (AIRUM) saw a combined total of 48 runners from Spain and India run 170km in an effort to fundraise to sponsor 500 rural children as well as to support orthopedic trauma care.

Juan Manual Viera Fernandez’s received enormous support for his grand effort during the inaugural Ultra Marathon in 2016. This helped to raise funds for Rural Development Trust (RDT) to sponsor 140 children from Anantapur as well as to support 15 Women Self-Help Projects. The second edition of the Ultra Marathon has raised the bar by bringing in runners from both Spain and India to run together towards this noble cause of enriching the lives of the poor in Anantapur.

AIRUM saw 36 Spanish and 12 Indian participants taking the course in turns over two days. The route started in Muddenayanapalli on 24 January 2017 and reached 170km in Bathalapalli at the resting place of “Father” Vicente Ferrer, Founder of RDT, on 25 January, 2017. Juan Manuel’s innovative idea of having a Relay Ultra Marathon offered an opportunity for these Spanish and Indian runners to participate together in the run and share their commitment towards the cause. The funds raised through AIRUM will be utilized to sponsor 500 children from the rural regions of Anantapur as well as to raise Rs. 18 Lakh for providing orthopedic trauma care to persons with disabilities.

Besides the efforts to raise funds, through AIRUM, RDT aimed to promote the importance of physical activity in daily life among various rural communities. To show that sport is not limited only to youth. It was pleasing to see when several youth from communities along the course took to the race to show their support to the cause. On observing this voluntary support along the track, plans of setting up athletic clubs in various rural villages is in the pipeline.

Leading up to AIRUM, a Community Running Day was organised involving a combined total of 120 staff and volunteers from RDT, a few Spanish and Indian marathoners as well as children and youth from nearby communities in Anantapur Sports Village (ASV). It was held on 22 January to promote physical activity and the health benefits of participation in sport or any physical activity.